Wolf Fang: Take Two
by Gemma2k
Summary: "Whenever I imagined my death, I always thought It would be something dramatic. Somethin' like bein' stabbed late at night, or breaking my neck doing somethin' stupid. One thing I never thought would be the death of me would be my sheer bad luck." An honest attempt at a self-insert fic featuring one of the series least used clans. Si!Kiba.
1. Two Red Fangs

_ "Whenever I imagined my death, I always thought It would be something dramatic. Somethin' like bein' stabbed late at night, or breaking my neck doing somethin' stupid. One thing I never thought would be the death of me would be my sheer bad luck."_

My first few years in this world where like a strange dream. I wasn't really conscious for much it, but I could feel my body moving and things happening to it. My first real memory was looking at myself in the mirror after my clan marks where tattooed onto my cheeks. I was aware that I had been reborn and was a kid, I'd wager I was three at the time, but there was something about the combination of red fang marks, black vertically slit eyes, and messy brown hair that stirred a feeling of familiarity in me. It was only when my new mom called my name for lunch did I realize why like that.

Kiba, she had called. It was then that It clicked and a name presented itself in my mind, one whose owner had the very same features as me. Inuzuka Kiba. A name that belonged to someone else. And yet, it was MY name, somehow. My current theory is that when mother nature tossed a cliff into the sea, she also sent it into another world, where I truly died. Seeing as reincarnation is an actual thing in the Naruto world, I believe that my being from another world messed with the mechanics of it which in turn allowed me to keep my memories. As to why I became a canon character? Well according to the multiverse theory there are an infinite amount of parallel worlds, most of which have slight differences. It stands to reason that I'm in one those worlds, one where the original Kiba's soul was... lost. To compensate the world dragged me into the body. That was my theory, at least. In the end, I couldn't prove anything so I just kept going.

I knew that she and my new sister were suspicious of something, understandably so. In one day I had gone from a normal three-year-old to someone else entirely. I could still be playful and childish as I had before I fully 'woke up' if you will. But I also had moments were my real personality came out, quiet and reserved as I lost myself in my thoughts. I knew one day they would ask about it, they were shinobi it was inevitable. But until then I would enjoy my time before everything went to hell.

I had but two goals for this life. One; I wanted to live to at least twenty five, having only made it to nineteen before mother nature decided that I'd look better decorating a few spiky rocks. And two; I refused to let myself be corrupted by the darkness that plagued this world.

I realized later that I would have to forsake one of those goals to achieve the other.


	2. Troubled Minds

_"This world is somethin' alright. It's so different from my last world in so many ways. But that's not to say they aren't similar in some ways. I like this world, I really do. When It's not about to implode on itself at least."_

After fully gaining consciousness, things were a bit unstable as I settled in this new world. For one, my memories were a jumbled mess between the ones from my last life and new ones from this one, mostly leaning the language and clan related facts that happened to come up around me. My eyes were acting odd too. For some reason, they couldn't decide on whether this was an anime or reality, leading to my perception shifting from one to the other seemingly at random. Most of the time it changed every time I woke up, one day it would be super realistic and the next everything looked no different from the show if it was in VR. Sometimes though it would change at the strangest times.

For example, I had been watching my new mom write reports during one of the realistic days. I could almost count each individual hair on her head, and yet it was still as spikey as it had been in the show. As if summoned by the thought, my vision blurred and the world shifted around me. After blinking a few times, I began to wonder if it was just my eyes or if things felt different then too. Drawing on all my memories of toddlers, I tugged on her pant leg to get her attention. It took a minute, her training apparently keeping her focused on the task, but when she did look my way I raised both of my arms over my head, a universal sign that all children used no matter the world. She gave a sigh before complying, but before she could ask me what I wanted or question why I wanted to be picked up so suddenly I reached up and grabbed a thick lock of her hair. Despite the flat look it had, it still felt like normal hair. I could even feel each hair in my tiny hand and, for as wild and informal a woman she was, it was incredibly well taken care of. "Soft..." I mumbled out before I realized it, and despite the fact that I never pulled it I still got a lecture as to why I should never touch a girls hair without permission.

One last annoyance what that. What with having to sift through my memories to get everything straight, the world shifting appearance around me, and trying to act like a normal three-year-old, I had become prone to headaches. It wasn't much of an issue for me, I was prone to them in my last life too so it didn't bother me as much as it would a normal kid my age. One problem it did bring was making me rather snippy for a toddler. I usually kept to myself when I had one, so again it was rarely a problem. On occasion though, I would talk back to mom or Hana and wind up in trouble. Most commonly this was a lecture from mom or a scolding from Hana. Other times when they were busy I would simply be forced to study and wasn't allowed to play outside. I didn't let them know it, but I liked the second one as it let me practice reading without having to play the normal kid role. The only one who knew that was Kuromaru, cause he was the one left to watch me, but I had asked him not to tell anyone and he seemed to be humoring me.

I was being subjected to the former today, unfortunately. I had been watching Hana train her chakra control in the back yard with another kid, a boy a couple years older than her, when he fumbled on a simple step and mess up Hana's focus too. Now, the whole time I had been watching them the world had been flickering from normal to anime and back, so my nerves were fried for the day. Sure in the knowledge that neither could hear me from this distance, I had mumbled a quiet "Idiot.." Under my breath. And I was right, neither of them heard me! But mom had walked outside to give them instructions the moment I had said that, leading to my current predicament. I was seated in a wooden stool as she went on and on about... something. To be honest I stopped listening about an hour ago. I still have a headache from earlier, though the world had stopped shifting and was normal again, and her yelling was definitely not helping.

When she turned her back I flicked my eyes over to the window, watching the snowflakes drift through the chilly December air. I could tell that she was starting to worry about me, she and Hana both. I knew that one day that worry would turn into suspicion, but I don't know for sure when. 'I do know one thing for sure though.' I thought as the world shifted once again.

_'The world needs to make up its mind whether it's real or fake!'_


	3. Green Hands and Future Plans

A/N. _ I am so sorry that this took so long. It took me eight days to find a good way to start this chapter, and almost five hours to write the rest of it. My original draft was around seven hundred and ten words, this one is just over one thousand three hundred. It almost doubled in size! Luckily chapter four is already done and ready to post with minimal edits required. You can expect it to go up sometime between noon and four pm eastern standard time. If you have any thoughts or complaints please make sure to review or send me a message so I can address them in the future. Thank you for your time, and enjoy the chapter!_

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By the time July came around again, things had begun to settle. Mom had declared me literate enough to start reading about the Inuzuka clan techniques in March, and by April she and Hana had begun to teach me the twelve primary hand seals. When they first showed me them, I thought it would be easy. I had seen them dozens of times in both of my lives so memorizing them was no problem for me. Actually doing them was another story though, especially when you're working with tiny toddler fingers. Honestly, how did Kakashi and Itachi do this at six? It shouldn't be possible, but then the definition of 'possible' is different in this world. For the time being, I'm only allowed to read about chakra and how to use it. But read I did, whenever I wasn't practicing hand seals or getting lectured by mom I was reading about anything I could, usually about my clan and it's history. Around May the two of them had managed to drill honorifics into me, though some were easier to use than others. For example, it was easy for me to call my sister Hana-neesan, but learning to call mom Ka-san or Oka-san was a chore for some reason. It luckily wasn't much of a problem for me, I wasn't really much for talking.

With my vision settling out and my memories properly sorted through, when July seventh hit I was in a much better state then the first time. When Hana-neesan told me that she was taking me to the library for my birthday, I was ecstatic. All I've been allowed to read over the past year has been study materials. As much as I like studying, one can only read about chakra theory so much before you long for a good novel. So being told that I get to pick out three different books, from whatever section I want so long as it's in the civilian area, was the best present she could have gotten me. As the two of us walked across town, I couldn't keep a grin off my face even as my sister's partners kept trying to eat my shoes off my feet.

When we got to the library, I had to hold back a childish giggle. Maybe it was because I was short, but the whole place seemed huge. Tall bookshelves arranged in rows spanning the length of the room, it's not as big as I had hoped but it's big enough to last me a good few years. "Go on and pick out what ya want, I'll be waiting here for you." Hana-neesan said as she leaned against the counter, her partners' leashes held firm in her hand to keep them from running amuck. I immediately started walking to the fiction section, only pausing when she added a quick "Don't get lost", almost as an afterthought. 'Not that it'd matter.' I thought as I perused the shelves. 'She could just track me down anyways. She or the Haimaru brothers anyways.'

In the end, I had only found two books that interested me that I was confident I could read. One was a book of old myths and tales, not only was it interesting but it could let me learn more about the people of this world. One can learn a lot about a culture from their myths and legends. The other was much more interesting though, and I found it in the non-fiction section. It was a historical account of reincarnation. It details a number of people who had been reborn in this world with memories of their past life, though it was usually a past life in this world, not another. People like me. Regardless, this combined with a few interesting secrets should be enough to convince mom when she starts questioning me. Hana-neesan doesn't question my choices of literature, even if the librarian does, and checks them out under her name. "Thanks, Hana-neesan." I chirp quietly when she hands them back to me and slip the book on myths into a bag I had brought from home. She merely chuckled at my polite tone and ruffles my already messy hair as we leave.

"You're gunna trip if you don't watch where you're goin' squirt." She had warned me, and I should have listened to her. But I merely waved her off, a gesture she got whenever I was engrossed in a book. The universe decided to prove it when we reached the top of a small hill on our way home. I was nose deep in my book on reincarnation when my foot caught on a stone, sending me tumbling down. I landed in a heap at the bottom, my book laying haphazardly a few inches away. My knees and elbow, unprotected as they were by my tee-shirt and shorts, ended up scraped up pretty bad. My sister caught up to me quickly, she was training to be a kunoichi after all. When she did, she let out a soft sigh. "I did warn you." Was all she said before she knelt down next to me. I don't know if it was just because I was young or if my fall was worse then I thought, but whatever the reason these scrapes really freaking hurt! I had to close my eyes to try and keep from tearing up. They shot open when a soothing sensation spread across my knee. Hana-neesan had placed her hands on it, and judging by the green glow they where emitting, she was using medical ninjutsu. I watched, fascinated, as the scrapes vanished before my eyes. "Normally I wouldn't use this to heal a scrape." She said, moving on to my other knee. "But... Since it's your birthday, I'll make an exception this once." She had finished my knees and was working on my elbows. I was entranced, unable to tare my eyes away. From the way my skin was knitting together to the gentle green glow of the healing chakra, it was absolutely beautiful.

She stood up after she had finished, brushing a bit of dirt off of her pants. "There ya go. Try to be more carefu-." "THAT WAS AWESOME!" She jumped at my exclamation, unused to me yelling. "Can you teach me that?" I had always thought medical ninjutsu was useful, but it was so much cooler in person. Not to mention that It gives me an excuse to scold idiots who get themselves hurt on the job. Hana-neesan seemed conflicted though. "Well... It's kinda hard to do. And I'm not even near good enough to..." She paused, giving me a chance to pull out every kid's secret weapon. The puppy dog eyes. You'd think that an Inuzuka would be immune to it, but she seemed to be struggling. "A-and you might not be able to do it!" She said hastily, hoping to discourage me. " I wouldn't want you to get disappointed if you studied it but couldn't..." She hesitated again, and I pulled out my trump card. I clasped my hands and looked straight up at her with wide eyes. "Pleeeeeease Hana-nee?" That was it, I won. I knew it, she knew it, heck even the three Haimaru brothers knew it. She loved it when I called her Hana-nee as opposed to Hana-neesan. She struggled to find an out for a few moments before she slumped over in defeat. "Fine, I'll teach you." My exited cheers where cut off by my sister's stern look. "But I expect you to take this seriously. I won't let you slack off in your studies for any reason." I gave her a childish salute, unable to keep my excitement at bay. "I'll give it my all, Hana-nee!" She let out an affectionate chuckle. "Alright squirt, let's get back home." She knelt down and ruffled my hair with one hand and picked up my book with the other.

As we made our way home, the contents of my book forgotten, I amended my list of life goals with a third entry; Master medical ninjutsu.


	4. Two Pale Eyes

It was early March, about nine months since I started studying medical ninjutsu. It was finally time for me to join the academy. The Hokage's introductory speech had just finished and mom was escorting me to the entrance with all the other parents. The problem with starting the academy was simple; I'm shy. I don't really interact with other kids much, I'm the one sitting off to the side reading. So being surrounded by hyperactive little terrors and being expected to interact with them was... daunting. Right now I was hiding in Kuromaru's fur, mom wouldn't let me hide behind her but her partner was more accommodating. "Okay brat, this is our stop." Her voice pulled me from my thoughts. Looking up, I found my mom's eyes staring straight into mine. "I expect you to pay attention, and follow the rules. Got it?" A meek nod from me drew a huff from the intimidating woman. Kuromaru moved out from in front of me just before mom gave me a firm slap on the back, pushing me forward. "And grow a spine while you're at it!" She said with a smirk, a bit louder than I would have liked. I mumbled a soft goodbye to her before bolting into the building, grumbling incoherently under my breath. This was the start, after all. The start of my shinobi life, from here on I'll be training and studying how to kill and how to not be killed.

Stepping into the classroom, I took stock of the state of it. Most of the room's occupants where civilian children, most of whom would never graduate. Sitting in the farthest corner was Aburame Shino, quietly reading what I'd wager to be a book on insects. I quietly made my way to a free seat, in the back row by the window. As I pulled my own book on medicine out, I noticed a few more notable people. First was Nara Shikamaru, already asleep as I expected. Sitting next to him was Akamichi Choji, munching away at his chips happily. I also noted the lack of dark, duck-like hair, meaning Sasuke wasn't here yet. The bright pink hair of Haruno Sakura was easy to spot though. Seems almost everyone is here. 'I wonder where Naruto is...' I thought to myself as I shifted in my seat. I was starting to get self-conscious, which was strange. I wasn't dressed really any different than the other kids, a plain blue long sleeved shirt under a light grey coat and grey pants with a white scarf. The only thing that marks me as different from the original Kiba, aside from the way I carry myself, was that my hair was longer than his, just barely brushing my shoulders. Shaking my head briefly to clear my thoughts, I lay my book down on the desk and start reading about herbal remedies.

That was my plan, at least. Mear moments after my book hit the desk I felt a presence to my right. Looking up, I was meet with soft, pupil-less lavender eyes. "U-um... M-may I s-sit here?" None other the Hyuga Hinata, the living cinnamon roll herself, was asking if she could sit next to me. I'm assuming that she wants a good view of Naruto who, come to think of it, didn't seem to be here yet. Casting my gaze briefly over the rest of the classroom, the only blond I could spot was Yamanaka Ino talking about who knows what with her friends. Quickly snapping my eyes back to the shy heiress, I give her a soft smile. "Sure. S'not like I was saving it." I scoot to the side a bit to give her more room and she sits with a quiet "T-thank you." Shifting my book in front of me, I turn to the side and offer my hand. "I'm Kiba. What's your name?" I'm hoping to get to know her early on so that I can help her confidence. She hesitantly takes my hand and gently shakes it. "M-my name is H-Hinata." I almost click my tongue at her stutter, but manage to hold back."It's nice to meet ya Hinata-chan." I say, somehow keeping my smile despite my annoyance, though she seemed a bit flustered at the honorific, her eyes darting about until they landed on my book. "W-what are you r-reading about, K-Kiba-san?" I almost corrected her on adding san to my name, but I figured I'd let her have that since she didn't complain about me adding chan to hers. Shifting my book over so she could get a better view, I motioned for her to shoot closer. "It's a book on medicine. Right now I'm reading about herbal remedies and other natural cures." That seemed to catch her interest, her earlier shyness seemed to fade slightly as she leaned in to get a closer look. Once again I beamed. Her shyness is bad, but at this stage I think I can salvage her confidence.

Somehow the two of us slipped into a long silence as we read from the book to ourselves. It should be awkward, but I for one found it comfortable and I think she did too. I did wonder, during a small lull when I was waiting for Hinata to finish reading the page, why she took an interest in it. While medical ninjutsu was amazing and I knew she would lean the Mystic Palm Jutsu later in life, this had nothing to do with ninjutsu. My eyes flicked over to the window, to the snowy environment outside. They locked onto a stump, probably once used for training, with a small cavity filled with snow. It looked a bit like... 'Oh! Ointment.' I thought, my gaze shifting back to the blushing heiress to my right. 'Don't the Hyuga have some sorta secret healing cream or somethin'?' Before I could ponder further on the topic, Iruka-sensei cleared his throat to begin our first lesson. Discreetly slipping my book back in my bag, a head of bright blond hair caught my eye. 'Did I really zone out long enough to miss Naruto's no doubt dramatic entrance?!' I bit back a groan at that realization. 'New goal, stop zoning out like an idiot.'

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A/N. _This is the first chapter with actual dialogue, I really hope I got it right. Hinata is simple enough, she's shy and polite. Tsume was harder, as was Hana last chapter. I don't have many opportunities to watch anime right now so I have to go off of a wiki's description of them, bare as that is. Next chapter will have even more dialogue from characters other than Kiba and Hinata, so it might take longer to write. If you have any thoughts, advice, or complaints please be sure to leave a review or send me a message, I'll read all of them. Thank you for reading and have a nice day. _


	5. Wayword Souls Connect

Two weeks into the academy and I was already bored out of my skull. I like school, really I do. But I had already learned half the stuff Iruka-sensei was going on about at home. I know WHY he's talking about it, for the civilian students. They don't have the resources that clan born kids like me do. But the library does and they could easily go there instead of wasting time at school. We can't even do anything fun, like chakra control exorcizes or practicing surikenjutsu. All we could do was study the theoretics and forms, both of which I already learned. Asking Hana-neesan did provide some help thankfully. When Iruka-sensei or Mizuki-sensei started teaching things I already know, she told me to close my eyes and focus on my chakra. She firmly reminded me to not mess with it, instead she told me to observe it. Feel the way it courses through my body, the way it ebbs and flows. She told me this was a good way to start working on my control early as it didn't risk straining my developing coils. And so I did just that, taking every opportunity I could to get a feel for this foreign yet familiar energy. I more than once got in trouble for 'sleeping' in class, though it was mostly just a light scolding from Iruka-sensei. I never told mom that though and neither did Hana-neesan. We both knew she wouldn't like me 'slacking off' in class, even if it was for training.

Other than that my only solace was that Hinata sat next to me most day and let me complain to her, even if her attention was often taken up by one hyperactive blond. Speaking of Naruto, I simply couldn't understand why so many people dislike him. Kyuubi aside, he's just like any other kid. So how anyone could hate an innocent little kid who lost just as much that day as anyone else is beyond me. I stifle a sigh. 'Honestly, everyone in this village is an idiot.' Shifting in my seat, my eyes flicker over to where Naruto was sitting. 'He looks as bored as I am.' The blond is slumped over in his seat, barely paying attention to our teacher's lesson on... something. Leaning closer to Hinata, I quietly whisper to her. "Hey... What's he goin' on about?" She whispers back to me without taking her eyes off Iruka-sensei. "The h-history of K-Konohagakure." 'Oh right, I think we went over the first shinobi war yesterday.' Before I could thank her, the room filled with chatter as Iruka-sensei dismissed us for lunch and made the terrible mistake of going somewhere else, leaving almost thirty little hellions to their own devices. As one such hellion, I simply had to make use of this opportunity.

Quickly stuffing my books back in my bag and turning to my shy friend, I latch onto her arm. "Hinata-chaaaaan. I'm boooooored!" I whined at her, earning a soft giggle from her even as her face flushed a light red. "I-I'm sorry K-Kiba-san." She was clearly trying to pacify me, but I would not be detoured. Looking her in the eye, I give a toothy grin even as I lower my voice. "Let's sneak out!" Her eyes widened, as those my very words were blasphemy. "S-sneak out? L-like... S-skip c-class!?" She squeaked out and I have to suppress a chuckle at her scandalized face, even as I nod. "Yeah!" Putting my hand on her shoulder I gesture to the school books in front of her with my head. "Come on Hinata-chan, I know you're as bored with this stuff as I am. It'll be fun!" She didn't seem convinced, but it also didn't look like it'd take too much more. Taking stock of the room, my grin shifts into an equally toothy smirk. "We can invite Naruto." Like with Hana-neesan a year ago I can almost see her resistance break down. When she muttered a quiet "Naruto-kun..." I knew it was done. I did wait for her meek nod before grabbing her hand and leading her over to her crush.

The blond in question was digging through his bag, grumbling about something. It took a minute of us standing there and me clearing my throat for him to notice us. "Eh? What do ya want?" Hinata had devolved into a stuttering mess, incapable of speech, though thankfully she hadn't fainted. Lightly sighing, I take a small step forward. "You looked bored during class. I-We were wondering If you want to ditch with us." He perked up instantly at my suggestion, his grin mirrored by my own. "Sure, let's go now dattebayo!" I had to catch him by the arm as he bolted to the door. "Wait! We can't go that way!" He turned to face me, a confused look on his face. "What? Why not?" I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes. "We don't know where Iruka-sensei is. We could get caught if we just walk out." I carefully explained as I lead them over to the window. After taking stock of the room, the only other person present was a sleeping Shikamaru, I quietly slid it open enough for the three of us to slip out. Closing it was more difficult, being only a few months from my fifth birthday, but with Naruto's help we managed it. Turning to my fellow runaways with a clap of my hands, I let my confident smile shift back into a smirk. "So, who wants lunch?"

As we walked our way down one of Konoha's main street, arguing over what to get for lunch, I've slowly come to realize how poorly thought out this plan was. As if three tiny children walking down the street alone wouldn't be suspicious. Just as I was starting to get nervous, Naruto tugging on my arm brought my focus back to him. "Com' on! Ichiraku Ramen's this way dattebayo!" He was pulling me down the main street, grinning as though he won the argument. Frowning, I start tugging him down another street. "Ok, but the barbeque shop's down this way." With that, we were back to arguing, this time at a standstill. It only ended when Naruto turned towards Hinata, startling the girl with his sudden attention. "Hey Hinata-chan, where do you want to eat?" Oh that is not fair. Glaring half-heartedly at the back of his head, I barely caught Hinata's apologetic look before she responded. " R-ramen sounds n-nice, N-Naruto-kun." The cheer that erupted from our blond companion left me momentarily dazed, though I was able to recover fast enough to catch him by the hand before he bolted off. "Oi! Stay with the pack!" It took me a moment of further recovery to note their confused look to realize what I had just said. Biting back a groan I grab Hinata's hand and pull them both closer to me. "Stick together, I mean." I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes at Naruto's exaggerated look of understanding. Once we set off again, with a hyperactive blond as our guide, I breathe a sigh of relief. 'I can't believe I used Inuzuka lingo, no wonder they were confused.'

Hinata nudging my shoulder brought my attention back to the real world. "Sorry." She whispered, her face as apologetic as her tone. Before I can even formulate a response, an idea forced it's way past my lips. "So..." I step closer to her, bumping her shoulder with my own. "I'm Kiba-san, but he's Naruto-kun?" I made sure that my tone remained playful, even as my frown shifted into a small smirk. Naruto, ever the oblivious hero, saved the Hyuuga heiress from my teasing. "Com'on, we're almost there dattebayo!" He was practically bouncing in place, an excited grin plastered across his face. "Alright, alright. Keep your hair on, we're coming." I had expected him to run off to the ramen stand, what I didn't expect was for him to dash over to the two of us and snatch up both of our hands, pulling us towards the eatery with a constant stream of "Com'on!" flowing past his lips. "Calm down, would ya? I told you we're comin'." My words seemed to have no effect on him, seeing as he kept pulling us until we stood in front of the small ramen stand. His excited grin was simply infectious, an identical grin split my face and I could tell that Hinata was mirroring his excitement too. "Heh, alright. We're here now, so let's eat."

"See! I told you ramen's the best dattebayo!" He's been saying that for, or something akin to it, for the past five minutes. Curse his boundless energy. "I never said it would be bad, ya know." I managed to say when he paused for breath. "All I was saying was that the barbeque shop would've been a better choice." He didn't seem to hear me, distracted by his own inner monologue I assume. A tugging on my sleeve once again brought my attention to Hinata. "Ya know, you need a new way to get my attention Hinata-chan." My teasing was brought to an end by a soft shake of her head. "N-never mind that. L-look." Following her pointing finger brought my gaze to two middleaged women, housewives by the look of them. They look perfectly normal, smiling softly as they talked. Heck, I even recognized one of them, a kind civilian lady who married into the Inuzuka Clan. I was about to ask what she was pointing at when they spotted Naruto and their sweet smiles faded into scowls of disdain and their conversation turned to harsh, and loud, whispers. "Look, isn't that the demon brat over there?" One of them asked, failing so utterly at being quiet that I wouldn't be surprised if the Hokage heard her. "Ugh, really? I thought Hokage-sama had finally gotten rid of him, I hadn't seen him in a while." The other wasn't any quieter, not that I'm surprised. "Oh no, the opposite really. I heard he was enrolled in the academy." The Inuzuka wife was clearly into gossip, or maybe her husband was. "Really? Well, I hope he stays well away from MY son. I don't want that demon influencing him." Chill lady he's just a kid. "Right? I am so glad my daughter is older than him. Did I ever tell you that she hit Chunin" By this point they had pasted all three of us, thankfully they didn't notice me or Hinata. "Really? Tell her I said congrats! Oh, and how is little Ryoma doing? I heard he was seeing that one apothecary girl...uh, what was her name again?" The two of us share a look as their conversation turns to a more mundane topic.

Our blond companion had slowed almost to a halt, letting us catch up to him with ease. He was eerily still, and his smile was different. Less radiant and more... hollow. Hesitantly I reach out. "Naruto?" This proved to be a mistake, the moment my hand touched his shoulder he bolted down the street. "Naruto-kun wait!" I was even more surprised when Hinata bolted after him, following him into an alleyway. "Ah! Wait up you two." Stumbling into the alley after them, it takes me a moment to find the two of them. I spot Naruto huddled in a shadow with Hinata whispering to him with a hand on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I immediately recoil when the smell of alcohol assaults my nose. Swallowing my gag, I slowly walk over a kneel next to him. "Naruto... Are you ok?" A stupid question but I had to start somewhere. He was quiet, but after a moment I got a simple shake of the head from the sullen boy. " Oh com'on Naruto, you can't let them get to you. Their just two women." I try to cheer him up as I place a hand on his shoulder, mirroring Hinata. We both jumped when he snapped his head upward. "But it's NOT just them! It's everyone 'tebayo..." His declaration wilted at the end, tears welling up in his bright blue eyes. "Every time I try an' make friends or play with other kids they all say the same thing. They say, 'my mom said I can't play with you' Or 'my daddy said I shouldn't be around you' or somethin'." He was periodically interrupted by sniffles or hiccups as he tried, and failed, to keep his tears in check. 'Crud! I don't do well with crying kids!' As if sensing my inner turmoil, and more likely just responding to Naruto's outer turmoil, Hinata spoke up with a simple yet groundbreaking thought.

"W-well... My d-dad never s-said anything like th-that." The world seemed to pause as a realization dawned on all three of us. "Come ta think of it, neither did mom..." Flashing a toothy smirk, I give his shoulder a soft squeeze to get his attention. "Ya know what, forget 'em! If they can't see how cool you are, then it's their loss." The look on his face, one filled with both hope and fear, was enough to break my heart. "Besides, ya won't need them anyways. Not with me and Hinata for friends. And we WILL be your friends, right Hinata-chan?" A soft but resolute nod is all we got, and needed, from the heiress. "Really? You... You promise?" He looks so hopeful. A memory presses itself to the forefront of my mind. A glimpse of this world as would normally be, with a friendless and lonely Naruto. My smirk shifts into a grin as that world in my head fades away before my eyes, never to exist in this reality. "Heh, I'll do you one better than a promise, a pinky promise." Holding up the mentioned digit, I have to suppress another chuckle at how childish I'm being. But given our age, I don't think that matters. "Everyone knows you can't break a pinky promise, unless you want to swallow a needle that is." Taking up Naruto's pinky with my own, Hinata poses an important question as she does the same with his other hand. "So... W-what exactly are we p-promising?" 'Ah right. A pinky promise has to be clear to all involved or else it's invalid.' Thankfully Naruto spares me from having to think of something. "Oh, I know! How about we promise that, no matter what, we'll always be friends dattebayo!" His statement is accompanied by one of his trademark smiles, one as radiant as when we reached Ichiraku Ramen. Just as infectious too, as a grin was even starting to form on Hinata's face. "That sounds perfect. Shall we?" A silent count of three later and what would be history was made. "Promise." Naruto started giggling after out synchronized declaration, though he quickly clarified why. "One heck of a place for a promise like this huh? The alley behind a pub dattebayo." 'Oh right, that reminds me...' Standing up, I quickly cover my nose. "Speaking of, mind if we move? The smell is killin' me."

We end up relocating to a secluded section of the park, seated at the foot of a large tree talking about whatever came up. From Hinata's favorite flowers to Naruto's favorite ramen flavor, we talked about all sorts of things. It was only when a shiver ran its way down my spine did I look up and notice just how screwed we were. "Oh, crud..." My quiet groan of despair managed to catch Hinata's attention. "W-what is it Kiba-san?" Frantic, I point to the sky. "It's almost sundown! If we don't get home soon we'll be in SO much trouble!" "Oh you're in trouble alright brat." I freeze, turning like clockwork towards my doom. Standing just a few feet away, looking beyond pissed, was not just my mom but also Hinata's dad and the freaking Hokage. "We are sooo dead."

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Once again I'm stuck in one of moms lectures, have been for a few hours now. I have no clue what she's even going on about at this point if I'm being honest. I've spent the last half hour counting each line of wood grain on my chair. I'm at two hundred and sixteen so far. "Do you have anything to say for yourself brat?" Slowly looking up into her eyes, I rack my brain for a suitable response. "I made a friend- no, TWO friends today." Is what I say, holding up the appropriate number of fingers. It almost seems like I won when she sighs and slumps her shoulders. "That's nice, but yer still grounded."

It's my turn to sigh and slump, although it's mostly to hide my smile. 'Doesn't matter anyway, I don't regret a thing.'

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A/N. _It's finally done. After almost two months of writer's block, it's finally done. Writing Hinata was as easy and simple as ever, but Naruto? Trying to figure out his verbal tic while not overusing it was simply hellish. I tried my best to keep them in character but not only do we not have much about their personalities at this age, what we do have I can't watch. Also, most of this chapter was written late at night. So if you find and grammar problems that I might have mussed, please tell me and I'll fix it. I'll be responding to any reviews in the next chapter, so if you have any thoughts, advice or complaints please leave one so I can improve this story. Once more, Thank you for reading and have a nice day._


	6. The First Step on a New Path

A/N. _I return. It's been a bit, hasn't it? Once again I apologize for taking so long. I wanted to get this out before the end of July but... I failed to do so. Then I lost the remains of July and the entirety of August to Fire Emblem-Three Houses and sleep deprivation. I wish I could say that I took the time to plan out the story... But I can't. 'Cause I didn't. This story is still very much a mystery to me. I have a vague Idea on some plot details, but for the most part I haven't got a clue. _

_Anyways, I don't want to prattle on too long, given how long this took to write. But first, reviews. I said I would respond to them, and respond I shall._

_Daisuke SSJ: I'll be honest, I don't speak Spanish. But based on what google translate tells me, I'm glad you liked what I have so far. _

_Sanas22: To be frank, I don't know. It's definitely an idea I've been playing with since before I started writing this, but who knows how things will go._

_fanreader18: I'm so glad you liked it, and I'm SO sorry I took this long. I can only hope this chapter, short as it may be, meets your expectation._

_Thank you all for the reviews, I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter. So without further ado, let it begin._

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The next two years were relatively uneventful, passing peacefully by as I spent my time playing and studying. After our fateful promise, the three of us became practically inseparable. We tended to only split when It was time to go home, and even then Naruto slept over at my house on more than one occasion. In typical school fashion, it didn't take long for rumors to start circulating about us. Honestly, they made keeping track of gossip both easier and harder. On one hand, It made it easier to tell how credible a source is. On the other hand, many of them became so widespread they made it harder to find anything NOT relating to Naruto. Hinata finds it strange how someone who hates rumors would keep track of them at all, let alone to the level that I do. To be honest, I can't explain it. I hate rumormongers with a passion, but gossip itself can sometimes shine light on seemingly unrelated events. One must simply take everything with a grain or three of salt. It was thanks to my habit of collecting gossip that something interesting finally happened though, so something good came out of it.

I had been complaining to Hana-neesan about the state of the rumor mill at school one afternoon, a strangely common occurrence, when she gave me an almost scared look. "Should I be worried that my little brother is turning into a gossip addict?" I merely shrugged as much as I could, sprawled out on the couch as I was. "Eh, probably not. Not any more than about me becoming a shinobi anyways." Honestly, something was wrong with these people if they saw no problem with children learning to kill. But I guess indoctrination does do wonders after a few generations, and if this village does one thing well its indoctrinate.

She merely shook her head with a sigh, an unreadable expression on her face. Was it amusement? Worry? Whatever it was, it was shortly replaced with a smile and a strange look in her eye. "Speaking of... You turned six not long ago." Her tone made me uneasy, a strange mix of excitement and pity. "Yeah. Three months ago to the day, if ya want ta split hairs." I couldn't help the chill that ran down my spine. She seemed... way too happy about something, the start of a grin playing at her lips. "I think it's time you start your medic training." My eyebrows decided to pay my hairline a visit, though the left one fell back down shortly. "Really?" I couldn't help my suspicion, she never gets this excited when the prospect of teaching me come up. It's always some form of reluctant resignation. But now, her grin unnerved me. "Yep! Go on and get change while I set everythin' up. Wear something light and meet me at the training grounds." She left before I could respond, leaving me alone with the three Haimaru bothers. "What's she up to?" I asked them but got nothing but a look of pity in return. Huffing a sigh, I roll off the couch and begin the trek to my room. 'Guess I'll find out the old fashioned way.'

"I'm here Hana-neesan!" I called out as I walked into the nearby training grounds, the crips October air keeping me alert as I finished pulling my hair into a high ponytail. The uneasy feeling in my gut only gets worse when I spot the large bag next to her, paired with her smile it makes for a terrifying image. "So, what's first?" I ask, choosing to ignore my dread. "First, is a small test." Before I could snark something out, she held up a finger. "Question one: What is a medics top priority on a mission?" Her demeanor is unchanged, contrasting her words quite severely. "A medics sole priority is the lives of their teammates. All other objectives are secondary." The sentences flow off my tongue with ease, having been beaten into my head over the past few years. Hana-neesan smiles and nods.

"Correct. Question two: What traits make for a good medic?" This one's a bit harder than the first, as it's largely subjective. But as a general rule... " The intelligence to understand the human body, the chakra control to perform precise procedures, and the compassion to care about your patients' well-being." Once again she nods, satisfied with my answer. "Correct, though some would argue compassion isn't strictly necessary for a medic. Lastly, question three: What are the four rules that govern medics?" Ah, this one. To be honest, I take some issue with one of these rules, but that doesn't matter right now. "Rule one: A medic shall never discontinue treatment until the life of the patient has come to an end. Rule two: A medic shall never stand on the front lines for any reason." I have to force myself to maintain eye contact. If she noticed my stiff tone, she says nothing. "Rule three: A medic shall never die until they are the very last of their platoon. Rule four: Only those who have mastered the Creation Rebirth - Strength of a Hundred Technique are permitted to discard the first thee rules." That last one's a mouthful, but hours of repetition allow me to recite it smoothly.

Thankfully, Hana-neesan nods in satisfaction. "Correct. Those rules are the basis of a medics' training. Total adherence is a must." She said, stressing the last point. "The third rule, in particular, is considered the most important rule with the second being a close, well, second." She hefted the bag up, a quiet metallic sound coming from within. "As such, the first thing an aspiring medic learns to do is dodge." She reaches into the sack, and I can feel the color drain from my face when she withdraws a metal ball. " Welcome to lesson one: Evasion Training." She said, wearing a look that can only be described as sadistic. "Ready squirt?" Why? Why did I insist on being a medic? 'Oh well. No turning back now, I suppose.' Taking a breath, I steel myself for what's to come. "Ready Hana-neesan." The glint in her eyes almost has me regretting this decision all over again. "J-just go easy on me... Alright?" After all, I've got school tomorrow.

"K-Kiba-san! A-are you o-okay?" "Ugh..." She didn't go easy on me... at all. As Hinata fuses over my bruises, namely my blackeye, I can't help but let out a resigned sigh. 'This is going to be a long year.'

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A/N. _As always, if you have any thoughts, advice or complaints please leave a review, I really appreciate it. Thank you for reading, and have a nice day._


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